I Volunteer as Tribute
by malaynamonkey2004
Summary: If Gale was the male Tribute. Not Peeta. My first HG story.
1. Chapter 1

**Hey guys! It's me and today I'll be writing my first Hunger Games FanFic! Make sure to check out my other stories as well as my profile! Thanks so much!**

 **DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN THE HUNGER GAMES**

I wake up, my eyes squinting at the bright morning sun that streams through my window. I am scared. What will happen today?

My name is in there forty-something times. My still-sleepy brain has no idea how many. I look at the time and groan. Time to wake up.

I roll out of bed and walk to the baths. I take an ice cold bath and emerge shivering, three towels wrapped around me in an attempt to get warmer. I look through my drawers for some clothes and pull out my best shirt and pants.

Today's the Reaping and I must look my best.

I pull them on and struggle to dry my hair with the already wet towel. Finally I give up and run a comb through it. The sun will dry it.

It's still early so I run outside and into the woods, ready for a little bit of hunting before the horrors that await me later on. I run and run and then I see her.

Katniss Everdeen.

Gorgeous, beautiful, amazing Katniss Everdeen.

My best friend. Nothing more.

She aims her bow at a poor deer and I take pity on it. "What are you going to do with all of that meat?" I ask loudly, scaring her and causing her to miss her aim. She swears at me angrily but I just chuckle.

"Gale! I almost had it! Do you know how long it's been since I've seen one of those?" she pummels me with her fists but I grab them gently and put them down at her sides. I pick up a rock and throw it at a tree and she immediately spins around and lets an arrow fly. She hits a bird and we both laugh.

How cruel we are.

But hunting is the only way to survive around here.

She grabs her catch and I leave her, ready to go home and get prepped. We part ways, her to the Black Market, and me towards home. We don't look back. We'll see each other soon.

* * *

I file in with the rest of the boys my age. Men, really, now that we're both eighteen. I take a deep breath. It's my last year. One more Reaping and I'll be safe. I follow a boy in blue dress clothes in front of me until we reach the arena and see the platform. I stand in my row and search the crowds for Katniss. There's Prim. Her first year. I am praying for her as well as myself and Katniss.

All of a sudden, Katniss's black braid comes into view and my heart starts to beat a little faster, no matter how hard I try to stop it. She looks at me and I stare back. We don't smile. Not yet. Nobody should smile too much today.

Then the video starts. "War, terrible war," I mouth to Katniss. She offers a little grin at that but only a little. I feel comforted in lightening the mood and turn to the video that they show every year. It explains the Hunger Games and why we have it.

Finally, it's over. Well, that's my last time seeing it. Never again will I have to watch that Godforsaken video.

A tall woman wearing an outrageously put together outfit and a tall curly blonde wig steps up to the platform. "Happy Hunger Games!" she says with over enthusiasm. "And may the odds be ever in your favor!" She walks across the stage and says, "Ladies first."

She shakes the glass ball with the tons of slips of papers and slowly reaches her hand in with her lavishly painted fingernails. She picks one and then drops it and then moves her hand around. Finally, she grabs one near the bottom and takes it back to the microphone in the center of the stage.

She carefully unfolds the paper and reads the name. She clears her throat. The crowd is silent.

"Primrose Everdeen."

No.

It can't be.

Not Prim.

Katniss! I look to Katniss who looks shocked. I look around for Prim and I see her slowly walking up to the stage. She fixes the back of her shirt as she walks and her braids swing in the sunlight.

All of a sudden, Katniss jumps to life.

"No! No! Prim! Prim!" She grabs her sister's arm and stands in front of her. "No!" Peacekeepers start to walk towards her and grab her from behind. She fights them and screams,

"I volunteer as Tribute!"

A hush fills the crowd. Katniss walks up to the stage and Effie takes her by the arm. "Oh dear. Our first Volunteer." Down below, I hear Prim screaming for Katniss. My heart aches for her. And for Katniss.

Oh my God. Katniss is up there.

I want to do something but there is nothing I can do. All of a sudden, I think to myself, _Please call my name. Please._

Effie asks Katniss for her name and Katniss's voice is strong. I'm proud of her all of a sudden. A tear rolls down her cheek but her face is otherwise void of emotion.

Effie takes a deep breath and says, "And now for the boys." She walks to the opposite end of the stage. Katniss still stands in the center, her gray eyes stoic.

Effie has a slip of paper and she walks back. I cross my fingers and pray for something I've always wanted the exact opposite of.

"Our male tribute from District 12 is… Peeta Mellark."

The crowd turns to look at a blonde, rather short boy with a cleft chin and blue eyes. I hate him. I hate him.

I know what I have to do. Peeta starts to walk up the stage, his eyes unfeeling and his face a mask of calm. I step forward. I take a deep breath.

And I scream, "I volunteer as Tribute!"

 **Please R &R! Thanks!**

 **Malaynamonkey2004**

 **(this is based on the movies but FF only has a book fandom)**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm back! Thanks to the people who reviewed! No, this is not a one-shot. I plan to make this LOOONNGG so buckle your seatbelts :D**

 **GALE POV AGAIN**

 **CHAPTER TWO**

A gasp fills the crowd as everyone takes in the fact that there has been another volunteer. Two volunteers on the same day in District 12.

A wide berth is formed as I step forward towards the stage. I sneak a peek back at Peeta, who is standing there, stricken, scared. He also looks relieved and his eyes seem to say thank you. I give a slight nod and continue my way up to the stairs. I stare up at Katniss's face and I see the second shock of her day register.

"No! Gale! No!" Her voice cracks as she screams at me. I shake my head and continue my journey. She's still screaming and she's trying to run towards me but the Peacekeepers restrain her. "Gale! GALE!"

I finally get to the stage and I walk up the few steps to the podium. I stand next to Katniss who looks at me with an anger in her eyes that I'm dimly afraid of. She whispers, "How could you?" and my heart breaks at the sadness and defeat in her voice.

"I had to." I say it quietly, only loud enough for her to hear. She looks at me, her eyes dark and black, like holes in space.

"Ah… what an unexpected turn of events." I hear Effie's voice continue but I can't hear anything.

What have I done?

* * *

I'm waiting in a room for my family to come and say goodbye. Katniss is in a different room.

Will anyone come?

My mother walks in, my father close behind. **(a/n Gale has both parents right? Does he have any siblings? I can't remember)** My mother is weeping openly and even my father's eyes don't look dry. My mother and father come to hug me and they squeeze me tightly. I squeeze back and I'm overcome with a sadness at the thought of never seeing them again.

I have to win.

But… Katniss.

What have I done?

* * *

My parents leave. I think that that's going to be the last of it when an unfamiliar face walks in.

Peeta Mellark.

"Hello, Gale."

"Hello, Peeta."

"Look, I know we've never said a word to each other before but I just wanted to say thank you. But you didn't have to. I was perfectly okay with going to my death." His words are tinged with sarcasm and bitterness.

"It's okay. Katniss is my best friend. Of course I would volunteer."

I hope I sound confident. And brave.

"Well… thanks." He looks like he wants to say nothing more but he refrains himself. An awkward silence ensues.

He's not that bad looking. I mean, his blond hair is perfectly gelled and his facial features are proportioned and handsome to a girl I guess.

I clear my throat. "Well… you're welcome, I guess."

All of a sudden the doors open and three Peacekeepers come in. "Time's up." Peeta leaves the room with two of them and the remaining one takes me to a train. Then I see her.

"Katniss."

She regards me stiffly, her face betraying no feeling, no emotion, no expression. I'm scared for what's surely going to come next.

Sure enough, she walks over and slaps me hard, enough to make my face buzz with tingles and for me to recoil in an unmanly fashion.

"I hate you, bastard."

"Kat—"

"Gale, how could you do that to me? You were supposed to stay there and protect Prim! Do you even know what you've gotten yourself into?"

Prim.

I was supposed to protect Prim.

Katniss sighs and sits down. I sit next to her, though I'm still slightly afraid.

"Look, I'm sorry. I'm glad you're here with me but I wish it wasn't for this. Not to _die_ , Gale. You know in the end, only one emerges. If it just happens to be one of us, it'll only _be one_ of us."

"Look, hey, shhh. I know. But I couldn't let you go without me."

"Why? What are you talking about?" Katniss looks bewildered.

I can't tell her so I say nothing.

"Gale…"

All of a sudden a sliding door opens and in walks Effie, a disheveled man trailing her with a beer bottle in one hand.

I'm glad for the interruption. Effie tut-tuts at our relaxed positions but says nothing. The guy behind her stands next to her, obviously drunk, or half-drunk.

"Hey guys." The dude gives a half wave and takes a swig from the bottle. "I'm Haymitch. I'm your tutor person. I'm here to help you with the games."

"What he means is, he's your Mentor and his job is to give you guys tips on how to survive the games as well as give you guys Sponsors," Effie says primly, pursing her lips. The man nods and takes yet another gulp. Katniss wrinkles her nose in disgust and says,

"Are you sure this guy is the right one?" Her voice holds a tone of mockery and disbelief.

"Little girl, you need to understand. I'm your only chance to survive." The guy looks at her with an innocent expression on his unshaven face.

"Then I guess my chances aren't very high then. They seem more like nonexistent." Katniss gets up and leaves the room. I smile at the two but they give me no acknowledgement so I get up and follow after Katniss.

"Catnip!" It's the first time I've used her nickname in a while.

She turns around. "What do you want, Gale?"

I don't know what to say. "Let's just… sit. Or something."

"Come to my room." I follow her into the room on the train where there is a small bed and a dresser. I lie down next to her on the bed. That's it, though I wish I could tell her how I really feel.

Now might be a good time to tell you that I love Katniss. We've been best friends for years and years, ever since we were children, but a few years back, my feelings grew past friendship. However, I know Katniss only thinks of me as her best friend, a brother even. Not a lover. Not a boyfriend. It's been harder and harder to hide my feelings, especially when we do things like this… lying in a bed together just as friends.

"Gale…"

I tense. Her tone is strange.

"I don't think we're going to make it. But I promise that I'll do anything in my power to protect you. You shouldn't be here."

"No, Katniss, no. I'm the one who volunteered. You need to live. For Prim. For your mother. For your family."

"I just keep thinking it would have been so much easier if it was that other boy, Peeta. I feel so horrible when I think that but it's true. It's going to be so much harder to lose you."

"It'll be the most hard to lose you." I don't know if that statement was grammatically correct but I leave it be.

I should just say it now. We're going to die anyway.

 _I love you. I've loved you for forever._

She sits up and leaves the room.

 **Please R &R and share this story! Thanks!**


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